Mention Denmark and some people will think of marauding Vikings with horned helmets or one of Denmark’s more famous exports—Carlsberg beer—or the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. But of the Danes themselves they may know very little. The Danes tend to be more relaxed and less formal than their fellow Scandinavians—and more independently minded. In fact, Denmark used to be referred to by its puritanical northern neighbors as “the loose woman to the south.” This book gives an insider’s perspective on Danish home, work, and social life, and on the Jantelov—the principles underpinning the traditional Scandinavian virtues of modesty, equality, and social cohesion, but which also warn against the dangers of individualism. This book offers many practical tips on travelers should conduct themselves in Denmark and what to expect in social situations. Readers will discover that, beneath their quiet northern reserve, the Danish people are friendly, fair-minded, civilized, and warm. Mark Salmon grew up in Ireland and is a jurist and educator. A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, he practiced company and commercial law for 10 years before resuming his studies at the National University of Ireland and gaining an M.A. in English Literature. He immigrated to Denmark in 1998, where he worked as a teacher specializing in Business English and as a translator and cultural consultant. He is now Senior Legal Counsel for the Danish international business conglomerate Maersk. Denmark - Culture Smart! By Mark Salmon Bravo Ltd Copyright © 2019 Mark Salmon All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-85733-884-3 Contents Map of Denmark, Introduction, Key Facts, Chapter 1: LAND AND PEOPLE, Chapter 2: VALUES AND ATTITUDES, Chapter 3: CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS, Chapter 4: MAKING FRIENDS, Chapter 5: THE DANES AT HOME, Chapter 6: TIME OUT, Chapter 7: TRAVEL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY, Chapter 8: BUSINESS BRIEFING, Chapter 9: COMMUNICATING, Further Reading, CHAPTER 1 LAND & PEOPLE GEOGRAPHICAL SNAPSHOT Surrounded by sea, except for its slim southern border with Germany, Denmark is almost an island. Lying approximately 56° North and 11° East, it forms a bridge between Scandinavia to the north and the rest of the European continent to the south, a position that has resulted in the unique blending of continental European and Scandinavian values and ideals that is peculiarly Danish. In area, Denmark is 16,631 square miles (43,075 sq. km) — approximately twice the size of Massachusetts. The peninsula of Jutland makes up roughly two-thirds of the total landmass, the rest consisting of around five hundred islands of varying sizes. The largest of these islands is Zealand ( Sjælland in Danish), on which Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, is situated. The second-largest island lying between Zealand and Jutland is the island of Funen ( Fyn ), on which Denmark's third-largest city, Odense, is located. Zealand and Funen are separated by a body of water known as the Storebælt, or Great Belt. This waterway was spanned by the Storebælt Bridge in 1997, then one of the largest of its type outside Asia, and briefly the world's largest suspension bridge. The island of Funen itself is separated from Jutland by the Lillebælt, or "Little Belt," which was first bridged in the 1930s, although the modern bridge was built in the period 1965–70. The rocky island of Bornholm, which lies to the east between Denmark and Sweden, is a popular summer vacation destination for many Danish families. The Danish kingdom also includes two North Atlantic self-governing regions: the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Denmark's terrain could best be described as flat with some gently rolling plains, the highest point being Ejer Bavnehøj, at some 568 feet (173 meters). The soil is moraine — glacial deposits — from the Scandinavian and Baltic regions. In Northern and Western Jutland the soil is quite sandy, while in Eastern Jutland and the islands it is more fertile. The exception is Bornholm, which is granite, thinly covered by a layer of moraine. Most people live near the coast, and there is a strong marine tradition. There are many rivers, the largest of which is the Gudenå, part of the Silkeborg Lake District in Jutland, which is some 98 miles (158 km) long, and is popular with Danes for leisure activities such as boating, fishing, and kayaking. The largest lake in Denmark is the Arresø, on Zealand. There are plenty of sandy beaches on its 4,545-mile (7,314 km) coastline, with the west coast being particularly favored by German tourists. The influx of tourists, while welcome, caused the Danish government to pass a law preventing foreigners from buying vacation homes in Denmark (which are exempt from property taxes), as they were afraid this would drive up house prices beyond the reach of ordinary Danes. Much of Denmark's natural environment was heavily exploited in the nineteenth century, and as a result only 2 percent of its natural streams remain unalter